California Institute of Technology
What Caltech says
Exact quotes from Caltech’s official pages, checked word for word on Oct 22, 2026.
A student in good standing may request a voluntary leave of absence for personal reasons (personal leave) by submitting a written petition via completion of the undergraduate student leave of absence form.
— ug.timeaway.caltech.edu ↗Leaves will not be granted retroactively and must be filed by the last day of classes of the term.
— ug.timeaway.caltech.edu ↗Typically, a leave of absence must be for a full term or more and can initially last up to one calendar year.
— ug.timeaway.caltech.edu ↗A petition to return from a personal leave should be submitted at least six (6) weeks before the first day of the term for which the student intends to return.
— ug.timeaway.caltech.edu ↗A student in good standing may request a voluntary leave of absence for personal reasons (personal leave)
— ug.timeaway.caltech.edu ↗Written by AI from the quotes and pages we read. It may be incomplete or wrong; the school’s own pages win.
- Caltech appears to allow a personal leave by petition, if you're in good standing.
- It looks like the form must be filed by the last day of classes of the term.
- Leaves aren't backdated, and return needs Deans' Office approval.
- Reasons accepted: any personal reason (Personal leave bars starting or running a business; a professional-opportunity leave type exists).
- Time away allowed: 1 calendar year (extendable).
- Classes start Jan 4.
Before you decide
Check on the following…
- Will my spot be held?Check how long your school keeps your place and whether you have to apply to come back.Ask: Registrar
- Will I graduate later?A term off can push back your graduation. Ask which required classes only run in the spring.Ask: Academic advisor
- Is there a deadline to ask?Some schools want your leave request before January. Find out the exact date and the form.Ask: Dean’s office or registrar
- What happens to my scholarships and aid?Ask whether your scholarships and grants pause while you’re away or end, and what you need to do to get them back.Ask: Financial aid office
- When would I have to start repaying loans?Student loans usually stop being deferred when you’re not enrolled. After a short grace period, often six months, payments can start.Ask: Financial aid office
- Will I still have health insurance?A student health plan usually needs you to be enrolled. Make sure you’re covered from January to April.Ask: Student health office
- What about my housing?Ask whether you can leave your housing contract without a penalty and whether you’ll get housing when you come back.Ask: Housing office
- I’m on a student visa. Does this affect it?For F-1 students, not enrolling usually ends your visa status. Talk to this office before anything else.Ask: International student office
Hackathon
Student founder community
- The Startup Club ↗Listed as an approved 2026-27 Caltech club; no description or site on the public list (directory needs a Caltech login).
- Caltech Entrepreneurship Club (eClub) ↗
Entrepreneurship center
Hard-tech team
- Caltech Racing (Formula SAE Electric) ↗Student FSAE Electric team, open to all majors; listed as an approved 2026-27 club.
- Caltech Robotics Team (CRT) ↗Student robotics team (RoboSub, drones, quadrupeds).
- PARSEC (Propulsion, Aeronautics, and Rocket Systems Engineering at Caltech) ↗Student team building a rocket-propelled self-landing vehicle.
Why 83
Spend the winter building. Southbound runs Jan 11 to Apr 11, 2027 in Miami. Acceptance is rolling.
What we could find (checked Oct 22, 2026). Not final: confirm dates and aid with your school before you act. Source pages look current for 2026–27. We date pages from server timestamps, page metadata, “last updated” text, PDF dates and the Wayback Machine.